A Styrofoam cooler does a good job of keeping things cold because the material is a poor conductor of heat. A closed container of Styrofoam creates a “cold zone” into which heat from the outside enters at a very slow rate.

Is a styrofoam cooler better than a plastic cooler?

Styrofoam coolers are made mostly of air. The plastic forms millions of tiny air bubbles and this is what insulates and keeps your ice frozen. But it also makes the cooler super lightweight and easy to carry around. ... Yeti coolers on the other hand weigh a lot.

How long does a styrofoam cooler keep ice?

How Long Does Ice Last in a Styrofoam Cooler? How long your ice stays frozen in a Styrofoam Cooler also depends on the ice type. While dry ice stored in these coolers can last up to 18-24 hours, water ice ideally retains 12-24 hours. Smaller styrofoam coolers cannot hold much ice and have low insulating capabilities.